Hanover South Shore Vo-Tech student takes gold at nationals

Friday

Jul 11, 2014 at 7:30 AM

Last year, James Aiguier represented South Shore Vocational Technical High School at Skills USA and came just shy of winning the gold. His disappointment turned to determination, and this year he returned to nationals and became the first South Shore student to ever take the gold.

By Nick Arenanarena@wickedlocal.com

Last year, James Aiguier represented South Shore Vocational Technical High School at Skills USA and came just shy of winning the gold. His disappointment turned to determination, and this year he returned to nationals and became the first South Shore student to ever take the gold.

“It felt great,” he said. “I went back with a positive attitude. Last year I was disappointed that I missed, but this year I was so happy that I finally won.”

Aiguier graduated from South Shore Vo-Tech with the Class of 2014 last month, and earned his place in this year’s National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Kansas City after he won the gold at the state level.

The 18-year-old from Taunton went toe-to-toe with 30 other students from vocational technical high schools around the country in the field of nurse assisting.

Steven Lee, 16 of Abington, also represented South Shore Vo-Tech. He placed seventh in the advertising design championship. Lee could not be reached for comment by the Mariner’s press deadline.

Since 2007 there have been five medalists from the high school, said Robert Mello, vo-tech skills coordinator. Two students won silver medals in precision machining, one in electronics and Aiguier’s silver and gold in nurse assisting.

Walking into the nationals for the second time, Aiguier said he was still pretty nervous, but knew he had an edge over the competition.

“I felt like I knew how the competition ran, so I felt like I was [better off] than most of the people,” he said. “I knew how it was and I had experienced it recently. I felt a lot better than most of them.”

Aiguier put in a great deal of practice to ensure that he would bring home the gold.

“I stayed after school three times a week and then when I wasn’t in school, I came back to practice with my teacher,” he said.

Not much changed since last year’s conference, apart from the attention to detail.

“It was a lot stricter than last year,” Aiguier said. “This year they were really nitpicky about every little detail.”

Mello said both students were continuously preparing throughout the trip.

“I’d ask them if they wanted to go to this function or that function, and they’d say ‘No, I just want to eat and go back to studying,’” Mello said.

Mello congratulated both students for their placement and applauded their hard work and determination.

“Steve is very humble,” Mello said. “He didn’t seem nervous, he just went in and did his thing. As far as James goes, he said he was going for gold, that he was coming home with gold, and he did just that.”

According to both Aiguier and Mello, not a lot is offered for nursing assisting students who place. Aiguier won a $50 gift card to Best Buy along with his reward, where other trades win thousands of dollars in tools and other prizes. But, he was happy to come home with the bragging rights that come with first place.

Aiguier will be attending University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for nursing and plans to join the Army ROTC to attend military medical school after he graduates.